Saudi Arabian esports teams Twisted Minds and Team Falcons are joining the 15th season of MPL Philippines, which begins in March.
Saudi Arabian esports organizations Twisted Minds (TWIS) and Team Falcons (FLCN) are set to make their debut in the Philippine Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Professional League (MPL) for its 15th season.
Their entry marks a significant step in expanding the league’s global reach, rounding out the eight franchise teams competing in the country's longest-running esports league.
The addition of two comes after the departure of Blacklist International and RSG Philippines from the MPL Philippines.
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Games PH Esports Head of Operations, Matthew Chan, expressed excitement about the inclusion of the two teams, highlighting their alignment with the league’s goal of fostering international partnerships and establishing the Philippines as a key esports business hub.
"We are thrilled to welcome Saudi Arabian esports organizations Twisted Minds and Team Falcons into the league, as part of the franchise teams. This partnership is aligned with our mission to expand further the ecosystem through overseas partnerships and forge a sustainable ecosystem that benefits our teams,” said Chan.
“We are also positive that this initiative can potentially position the Philippines as an attractive esports business hub and it could open doors for collaboration with organizations outside Southeast Asia.”
The addition of TWIS and FLCN strengthens the already dynamic MLBB esports scene in the Philippines, a region renowned for its dominance in global competitions such as the M Series and MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC).
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Team Falcons' Global Director of Esports, Grant Rousseau, expressed his excitement about the team's establishment of a franchise to compete and win in the Philippines.
"The Philippines is the strongest region for MLBB players from a competitive point of view. After an initial test year with AP.Bren, the organization now understands the market's competitive nature, and we are ready to pick up our own franchise and team to compete and to win,” Rousseau said.
Team Falcons Global Director of Esports Grant Rousseu speaks during the MPL press conference. | Photo (c) MPL PH
Rousseau also revealed its expansion plans in Southeast Asia, starting from the Philippines.
"Falcons intend to build out an entire Southeast Asia department, based in the Philippines, focused around MLBB. We’re already starting on a staff buildout, with lots of plans in the future being created to help bring fandom to life for Philippines and Falcons under the MLBB banner,” he added.
This will be the first time for TWIS to join the local esports scene.
For the organization, the focus is creating a champion-caliber team and also expanding in Asia.
"We want to expand overseas, especially in Asia, in the Philippines. We want to compete on the highest level in MLBB esports, and the Philippines is the right country to be in,” said Ibrahim Bin Jibreen, Twisted Minds Chief Executive Officer and Founder.
"We wanted to have our own journey in the Philippines' MLBB esports scene as it is the best one, especially when it comes to community building and competition. We're excited to bring opportunities for players, coaches, and managers—all of them will be composed of Filipinos. It will be an opportunity for us to know the Filipino market by working with them and we will provide them with a place to work in," he added.
Twisted Minds Chief Executive Officer and Founder Ibrahim Bin Jibreen speaks during the MPL press conference. | Photo (c) MPL PH
Twisted Minds would not be exactly considered new in the MLBB scene, having recently competed in the M6 World Championship. The team took home a 2-2 record in the Swiss Stage, beating Team Vamos and Falcon Esports.
Team Falcons on the other hand, boast squads in Fortnite, Call of Duty, PUBG, PUBGM, and Rocket League. They previously competed in the MLBB Mid Season Cup 2024 and in M5.
The 15th season of MPL PH is set to kick off in March 2025, with the entry of Twisted Minds and Team Falcons expected to add new excitement and competitiveness to the league.